One of the regular features on this blog will be postings regarding dress codes and etiquette for sporting events in the British Season. We have already commented on The Season in general. This week, we begin our quick insights into each major event with next month’s Badminton Horse Trials.

Badminton House

Set in the park of Badminton House in Gloucestershire, the three-day horse trials are an annual event, which began in 1949. The cross-country day at Badminton attracts crowds of about a quarter of a million people, the largest for any paid-entry sporting event in the UK. Although it is said to be ‘three-day eventing’, the trials actually take place over four. The Thursday and Friday are for dressage; the Saturday for cross-country and the Sunday for show-jumping.

As with many social events in the British season, we at The English Manner start to get many enquires asking us what the correct dress code is for this event, which this year takes place from 7th-10th May.

It is advised that your choice of clothes is ‘country’ and that sensible shoes are worn. ‘Country’ does not mean what one would wear to go walking or rambling in the fields, but instead it infers tweeds or rustic fabrics. For those that hope to enjoy the corporate hospitality in the Portcullis Club or company marquees, it is requested that you wear jackets and suitable ties (no novelty ones, please!).

Badminton is known for its stringent rules on dress. The New Zealander Mark Todd rode two-thirds on the 1995 cross-country course on his horse with only one stirrup before getting disqualified at an inspection the next day.

If you are still in any doubt as to what to wear, please do feel free to reply to this blog with any more questions on the event you may have. Alternatively, visit our main website for more information: http://www.theenglishmanner.com